I(19F) matched with someone on a dating app. It was a pretty normal match. Man holding a fish in the picture, aged 34 with two kids and who loves hiking. He was a bit old, but boy, he was good-looking. The most handsome man I’ve ever met, no exaggeration! His name was Luis Martinez.

He started the chat with a quick “what's up girl?” You know, normal. I honestly didn’t expect anything from this person, but he proved me wrong. We hit it off pretty quickly. We both enjoy reading poetry and watching basketball. His children are named Sophia and Charlie, both girls and 10 and 7 respectively. He seemed perfect.

About two weeks into texting, I gave him my Snapchat. Usually I don’t do that too early in a relationship, but he and I were really getting along! I truly believed this would sprout into a wonderful relationship, and I could be a mother, something I’ve always wanted, ever since I was a child myself.

I’ve always been paranoid about stalkers and stuff, so I I had my snap location off and I wasn’t a frequent poster. I didn’t have anything that would reveal my location or anything of the type. I don’t know how he found me. But he did. And this is where it started to get really creepy.

Five weeks ago, I got a Snapchat from him. It was a screenshot of the place I work at, coincidently five blocks from where I lived. “Five”. When I asked what he was trying to do— it freaked me out, a lot— he pretended like he didn’t know anything. He played dumb.

So I ignored it. Bad, bad mistake.

Four weeks ago, same thing, but it was a picture of my friend’s home, four blocks away from mine. “Four”. Again, he was clueless. I brushed it off again. I really don’t know why.

Three weeks ago. The park I take my dog to. Three blocks away. “Three”. By this time, I ghosted him completely. He’ll stop now, right? I didn’t block him though. I’m so dumb.

I called the police two weeks ago, when it showed MY CAR two blocks away from my home with the captain “two”. The police couldn’t do anything though. Because no matter where they looked, Luis Martinez lived nowhere. He existed nowhere. The man I met on the dating app did not exist. His children did not exist. Nothing about him was real. A chill went down my spine when I first heard that.

One week ago. It was a garage sale. Someone was having a garage sale one block away from me. My roommate was in the picture. “One”. I just ignored it. A friend was pranking me. It had to have been that. This was just ridiculous.

There is somebody knocking on the door. Neither of my roommates came back after checking who was there. They’re gone. I may be, too, soon. I just need to get this out there. I’m on dial with 911 this second. He can’t escape now— they’ll catch him. I know they will. They have to, right?